Sand-grading apparatus for glass-grinding machinery



SAND GnAmNG Amnmusfon Guss Gmunmc MAcHmEr-m APPLICATION FILED FEB.j5.-19l1. 3v 1,342,038'. l Patented June 151920.

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INVENToR WITN ESSES i l VI. WILLIS. SAND GRADING APPARATUS Fon GLASS GRINDING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED FER. I5, 1'9I7. y ,$42,038. Patented Jllll 1, 1920.

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JOHN WILLIS, 0F KANE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN PLATE GLASS COMPANY, OF KANE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

SAND-GRADING APPARATUS FOR GLASS-GRINDING MACHINERY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 1,1920.

Original application led October 18, 1915, Serial No. 56,348. Patent No. 1,223,461. Divided and this application led February 15, 1917. Serial No. 148,825.

has in view to provide a secondary graderV comprising a series of settling chambers vor compartments, separated by partitions,

through and over which the water and sand in suspension pass in their circulation, openings in the partitions being so arranged as to eHect a sinuous or alternating zig zag course throughout the series of settling chambers, surplus water passing oit by an overflow conduit leading to the ditch oi* the f tables or to any other suitable point of discharge.

The settling chambers are provided with conduits for carrying off the abrasive and water and for delivering the same to the table as hereinafter described and the invention has in view to provide, within a comparatively restricted area, for a material retardation of the current, whereby to effect precipitation ofthe abrasive by gravity, and its selection by lthe agency hereindescribed.

The present invention forms divisional subject matter of that disclosed in my prior application iled October 18th, 1915, Ser. No. 56,348.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in. which- Figure l is a plan view of an apparatus utilizing my invention showing it in connection with the usual` plate glass grindingtable.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing a series of classifying chambers constructed 4to provide for the alternating retarding circulation of the water-and abrasive.

Fig..3 is a cross-sectional view indicated by the line III, III, of Fig. 2.

Y Various processes have been utilized, in connection with the art of grinding plate glass and other material, for the classifying or separation of the abrasive used, which is usually sand, into various grades of coarseness.

It 1s desirable 'in the grinding operation to supply the coarsest sand' for thev irstl rough grinding operation, usually requiring the longest treatment. The successively finer grades are then furnished', with water, finishing the grinding operation prior to the emery treatment.

Sand has been customarily used for this work for many years; the tine sands were collected in sandpits, into which they were deposited Jfrom a stream flowing from the table over barriers, similar to the wellknown sluice box method. Other apparatus has been designedland processes have been used utilizing upward'flow of water for the `purpose of separating the sand into various grades or strata, in suspension, the sand then being taken off from the various levels, and used on the table, or stored for future use as needed.

Sand, by its'nature, tends to settle into compact masses by gravitation through a quiescent mass or body of water, or to remain in suspension in the presence of an opposing upward current. It may be car- `ijied -along in a horizontal stream, from -tending to r'st deposit the heavier and larger grains, and successively those of smaller and lighter size and weight, by precipitation. I have util-ized for such purpose a series Y of compartments or chambers through which a stream of water carrying the sands in suspension is caused to circulate in its-course Jfrom the grinding table and eventually'back thereto, and Iv employ means for positively removing and supplyand the horizontally traveling stream therethrough and thereover, an apertured partltion construction whereby the water and sand are caused to circulate throughout the area, or from one side or end to the other, of the first compartment, then passing through a suitable opening at one end of the intervening partition into the next compartment, through which it circulates in a reverse direction, passing through an opening in the next compartment diagonally arranged as to the first opening, the circulation thus continuing throughout the several compartments in an alternating flow. Its speed of movement is thereby correspondingly and proportionately decreased, and

. thus proportionately causes a more rapid precipitation of the suspended sands, as the horizontal stream passes sluggishly through vthe several collecting chambers.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, showing one preferred embodiment of the invention, 2 represents the usual glass grinding table rotatably mounted upon any suitable support having the usual surroundingV collecting gutter for the centrifugally discharged sands and Water, leading back- Wardly to a screen 4 which is interposed in the course of flow to lthe preliminary receiving pit or chamber 5. Y

Superimposed above the rotatable table 2 are the usual grinding runners 6, 6, of wellknown construction, underneath which the glass plates are rotated by the table 2, in connection with the supply of abrasive and Water, and the customary shoes of the runner.

A distributing trough 7 of any suitable Vconstruction is usually 'located' above the table at-or about its middle portion, whereby to distribute the sands and water to the table, and between they runners, as it is delivered to the trough by either' one ofthe conveying pipes hereinafter described.

The Vpreliminary receiving chamber 5 yis located, as shownV in Fig. 1, adjacent to the table and to the circulation channel there- K from, to receive rallof the water and sand asvit is washed ofi"` from the table, and to also receiveadditional quantities of fresh coarse sand from-time to time.

For such latter purpose, a coarse sand box Vor bin 8 is located at any convenient position and elevation, whereby coarse sand may be delivered by conduit 9, leading to screen 4, in connection with a stream 'of water from a hose, whereby to deliver fresh sand into the circulation and the primarypit of preliminary grader A.

Such sand,- with the water from the table, together with the already used sands washed therefrom, Vare thus all discharged into the preliminary chamber 5, in which the coarsest and heaviest sand will fall to the bottom.

The lighter Vand finer sands, comprising the various grades to be classified by the latter'treatment, pass horizontally over an intervening partition 10, into an adjacent chamber 11, from which leads a suitable overflow 12 Vat any convenient point, so as to avoid flushing of the chambers 5 and 11.

The said chambers, as thus constructed, Y

The coarse sands thus collected inichamber f 5, are removed therefrom by any suitable means, as kan air lift pump having a supply pipe leading to the distributing trough 7 at the middle portion of the table. Y The air lift pump,-if used, is provided with the usual air supply line for theL purpose of actuating the pump.

All of the finer grades of sand collected in compartment 11, which are intended for use when re-classified into their several sub- Y grades, are in a similar mannerY carried by pipe 16 and an air lift pump 'over to the secondary grader B. v

The secondary grader B, like primary grader A, is also located `in convenient relation to the rotatable table 2 for distribution of the sands thereto, and comprises a series of sluice boxes or collecting chambers 7956, bbb, 125222, 6653, preferably arranged i consecutively, one beyond the other, separated by intervening partitions 19h, 20h, and 21h, respectively, of substantially the same height, each having an overflow passage 39 through the upper end portion of each of said partitions. These passages alternate in position, whereby to effect a zig zag or alternating flow of the horizontal current from one of said compartments 'to the *other* ,Y

throughout the entire series.` f

eral partitions at successively increasing distances apart, 1f desired, as shown, I insure increasing width of the channelth'rough the upper portions `of the compartments succes'- siVely, which, in addition to thealternations By this means, and byalso spacing the sevstill or quiescent bodies of water ,into which p they are deposited through and from ,a superimposed horizontally flowing stream of gradually decreasing speed, 'I utilize 4the natural gravitating tendency of the sand, as controlled by its size and weight, and thereby insure the collection of a series of grades of successively reduced size and weight, for utilization in the same order, Without the necessity of resorting to any artificial or forced separation, suspension, ,or precipitation of the several grades, by the use of vertical flow currents, or other devices commonly employed in this art.

Pipe 16 discharges the sands and water by pump action from chamber ll into the first compartment btb, a surrounding housing box or cover 22 being preferably employed to prevent splashing and insuring the depositing of all of the water and sands into the first chamber.

At its other end an overflow passage 23 leads from the last collecting chamber 5663 by a suitable trough back to the space surrounding the table and by gutter 3 to the circulation.

For the purpose of facilitating precipitation of the finer sands through the substantially quiescent lower water of. the several chambers it is desirable that the longitudinal travel through their upper portions of the main horizontally traveling stream shall be as long and slow as possible, and that the speed of the current shall be appreciably retarded or lessened.' This effect is produced by the arrangement above described.

rlhe iow through the initial chamber bb?) facilitates the depositingof the sands of the desired fineness, beingthe coarsest of the assembled line sands, into the first compartment, all of the 'remaining sands passing over the first barrier or partition 191 through opening 39.

Continued travel of the current over the successive compartments and the intervening barriers, diagonally across the upper portion of each chamber traveling at suc'- cessively and relatively slower rates of speed in its passage toward the endmost compartment, effects precipitation of the sands by gravity and their collection in the several compartments.

Their bottoms, as shown in Fig. 3, are preferably sloped downwardly toward their middle portion and each chamber is connected with an outlet pipe 26, which in turn, is connected with a manifoldpipe 30 leading to pump 31, driven by motor 32.

A delivery pipe 33 leads from pump 31 over to the middle portion of the table, where the sand and water drawn from any particular compartment of the secondary grader is positively discharged into trough 7 and therefrom to the table.

The collecting compartments of the various chambers of the secondary grader are preferably located below the level of the table 2, the upper portion of the grader being above the level of said table. In such arrangement the contents of the chambers must be positively removed from the several collecting chambers and carried upwardly sufficiently high to be discharged upon the table, which function is performed by the motor-actuated pump 31.

Each of the connecting pipes 26 leading to manifold 30 is provided with a controlling valve 34 having an actuating lever 35 which may extend downwardly underneath the grader B for easy manipulation by the workman so as to enable him to open the valve of the particularV connection desired according to the grade of sand to be supplied to the table For the purpose of flushing manifold pipe 30 or its branch connections 26 at anytime, l provide a water supply system consisting of a main supply pipe 36 and manifold 3? having valve-controlled branch connections 38 leading to the several pipes mentioned7 whereby either of such branch'connections may be-opened to supply a flushing flow of water to clear out the pipes, if necessary. Y

Ordinarily, the several grades of sands being deposited and graded will collect in the central bottom portion of each compartment and will be pumped therefrom fand supplied to the table as noted, the overflow of water and any surplus sand being reother sand from the bin, from time to time.

By means of the construction of the secondary grader and tortuous circulation therethrough I insure an absolutely calm turned to the circulation in connection with flow of the water from the first of the secy ondary compartments, the sand falling quietly and naturally into the interior. rl `he construction also avoids the creation of any reverse or upward flow currents, thereby fa` cilitating the action and insuring the quiescence ofthe contents of the tank.

The advantages of the invention are that it provides a system of sand grading utilizing natural forces by properly designing the primary and secondary graders and giving opportunity in the latter for ample time of precipitation.

The invention 1s comparatively simple in construction and economical to build and maintain in order. It performs its'func tions in a highly satisfactory manner Yas to the grading, facilitates and cheapens theV grinding operations, and is at all times under the control of the operator while utilizing all of the coarse sand to destruction and providing for renewal of fresh sand during the grinding operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. Apparatus for classifying and supplying abrasive and water, comprising a sand grading apparatus provided with a series of settling compartments separated by continuous transverse intervening partitionsV having alternately and diagonally located circulation passages through their upper edge portions whereby to effect a tortuous flow throughout the series, means for sup- `plying abrasive and water to the first of. said compartments, means for carrying off overflow from the last of said compartments, and

means forv withdrawing abrasive and water from each compartment.

v 2..Apparatus for classifying and supplying abrasive to grinding and smoothing machines, comprising a primary grader adapted to receive wateranol abrasive, a secondary graderfprovided with a series of settling' compartments separated by continuous transverse intervening partitions v having alternately and diagonally located circulation passages through their upper edge portions, means for removing abrasive and water from the primary grader to theV first settling. compartment of the secondary grader, means for removing abrasiveV and water from the lower portion of each compartment of the secondary grader and delivering it to a point of use, and means for carrying off overflow from the last of Vvsaid compartments. v Apparatus for classifying and supplying abrasive and water, comprising a Vpri- .mary grader adapted to receive water and Water from `each compartment separately and conducting the same to a point of use,

and means for carrying off the overflow from the last of said compartments, the. partitions or wallsof the compartments being continuous and provided at their upper corner edge portions with circulation openings so located as to effect a zig zag or undulating liow. of the vwater and sand in suspension throughout the upper portions of the several compartments witha resulting retardation of the current and accompanying precipita,-l tion of the sand. v

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

. f JOHN WILLIS. 

